Writing Free From Interfering Inner Voices

2024, april 9

Today’s Writing Tapas

A lot of us are familiar with these annoying inner voices that clutter our thoughts and block our writing. These aren’t always the voices of our inner critics; sometimes, they belong to our biggest fans and supporters. But the obsession to please these voices can block our creative process. Sometimes the voice will be helpful later in the process, just not right now. The following Writing Tapas can help send these voices away. When I do these Tapas, I‘m usually surprised by all the things my mind wants to write once it‘s freed from that chatter.

Tapas I: Picture and Ban the Voice | 12 Min

Stream of Consciousness writing.

• When wanting to write your thing, what voices clutter your thoughts that keep you from writing freely?

  Write down anything that comes to mind.

• Pick the voice that‘s distracting your creative process the most right now.

  Picture the voice:

  What does the voice look like?

  What is it saying?

  Where does the voice sit? Inside you? On your shoulder? Behind you?

  Write down anything that comes to mind.

• Now, if you could relocate this voice to a place where it no longer interferes with your creative process, where would you move it to? Outside your house? To the other side of the globe? Or just somewhere else in your room but with a safe distance? What ever feels pleasant and works for you.

  Write down anything that comes to mind.

• Should you decide the voice might be helpful later in your creative process, just not right now, you might schedule a re-check-in with it to take a break from it now.

• But if you feel it‘s time this voice vanished from your life forever, feel free to say goodbye and let it go.

  Write down anything that comes to mind.

Tapas II: Writing With a Chatter-Free Mind | 7 Min

• What can you write more freely about now that the voice is somewhere else or gone? What are you excited to write about now that the voice is not interfering? What are the sentences your mind wants to write now that it‘s freed from that voice?

  Write down anything that comes to mind.